Find an English-speaking accountant in Germany

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How much does a German accountant cost?

The fee for an accountant's services varies depending on the specialization of the accountant. Tax consultants and business consultants, for example, offer accounting services, whereas the fees of a tax consultant are regulated by German law (Steuerberatervergütungsverordnung – StBVV). According to these regulations, the service can be charged at a fixed price, according to time invested, or according to annual turnover. On the other hand, accounting services provided by other professions are not strictly regulated. We, therefore, recommend comparing the offers made by different service providers side-by-side.

We are providing more detailed information about the costs of an accountant according to German regulations and give some examples. Click the link below to read on - the page is in German though. You can contact us for more information in English.

When do I need an accountant?

If you are starting a small company in Germany, you may wonder if you need to immediately hire an external accountant. There is no general rule; instead, you should ask yourself how much time this kind of service would save you. If you have some basic knowledge of accounting and your business only needs a limited number of accounting entries, you may want to do the accounting yourself. However, if you are completely new to the field and you need to invest all your time into your day-to-day business, it is worth using our service to find independent and non-binding offers from accountants in Germany completely free of charge. This will help you decide whether to hire an accountant or not.

What are the responsibilities of an accountant?

An accountant prepares the account entries for assets, liability, and capital accounts by analyzing and compiling account information. Under certain circumstances, they can also provide some limited tips for future financial planning. Another important role is compiling financial data to help entrepreneurs make decisions and communicating with investors and banks. It is important to note that German law also recognizes accountants as auditors. Auditors are responsible for reviewing the annual financial statement. This is especially important for bigger companies, as they are forced by law to perform these audits.

At the end of the financial year, the accountants prepare most of the information needed to compile the annual financial statement. Importantly, in Germany, the actual creation of the annual financial statement is reserved for the tax consultant, as is the revenue tax advance return.

How to change your accountant

There are a few things to keep in mind when terminating a contract to hire another accountant

You can always terminate your contract with your accountant; however, you may need to give a period of notice. Make sure to always cancel any arrangements with your current accountant in writing and keep the correspondence saved in case complications or misunderstandings may arise. If you are not satisfied with your accounting service, we advise that you do not change your accountant before the end of the fiscal year. This simplifies the change because your previous contractor must hand over all documents.

It is best to terminate your contract with your current accountant before starting new tasks and after completion of all the work that you had already agreed on in your contract. If it can not be avoided and you are to terminate the contract while certain tasks are open or unfinished, then your current accountant may charge a partial fee for work that has begun while your new accountant may charge a fee again for completion of those tasks. So be aware that you may pay twice in those situations.

Your current accountant is obligated to hand over your data and documents concerning your case to your new accountant - this excludes personal notes and non-official documents though. Many German accountants make use of accounting software such as DATEV so that the transfer should be fairly simple. Your current accountant might reserve the right to withhold documents for as long as you have outstanding payments. So, make sure to all accounts with your current accountant in order to guarantee a smooth transition.